


Bourbon Thorn and the Good Girl

by nicekittyrawr, StupidLeeches, wolfh00r



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-05
Updated: 2011-05-22
Packaged: 2018-02-15 03:51:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2214747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicekittyrawr/pseuds/nicekittyrawr, https://archiveofourown.org/users/StupidLeeches/pseuds/StupidLeeches, https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfh00r/pseuds/wolfh00r
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emmett McCarty works for Rosalie King, the owner of a popular New Orleans burlesque club. He sees her for what she is- beautiful, inside and out. Will she give him a chance? Entry for Curvaceous and Bodacious Contest.</p><p>Continuation of "Bourbon Thorn", from Curvy Contest. This was meant to be our submission for Fandom4Tsunami. It is James/Bella, All Human, Rated M.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bourbon Thorn

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This little ditty came about when we watched Burlesque together and NKR became obsessed with writing an inspired fic. It was an idea that was pushed by the wayside in order to focus on other things- until the Curvy Contest was announced. Then, TA-DA.
> 
> If you want to “see” Rose’s performance check out these scenes on the youtube: youtube[dot]com/watch?v=fAhlkJk-JqE
> 
> We encourage you to go check out the other entries and to review and vote. Curvy girls FTW!

**ENTRY FOR THE CURVACEOUS AND BODACIOUS BOMBSHELL FIC CONTEST** fanfiction[dot]net/u/2729331/CurvaceousAndBodacious

 

-0-

**New Orleans, Louisiana**

“My feet are killing me.” Angela whined as she plopped down on a bar stool, watching Emmett as he wiped down the bar top. There was never a dull moment on a Friday night at Bourbon Thorn but tonight seemed worse. The only other bartender had walked out earlier in the night, pissed that her counter-part made more in tips.

“Sorry Ang. I can’t thank you enough for helping me out tonight. I’ll pay for you to get your feet massaged or whatever you call it, I owe you that much.” Emmett smiled up at her, flashing the dimples that never failed him. Angela sighed and returned his grin and he knew she wasn’t upset with him. Angela was a very sweet girl and, under different circumstances, he would probably be attracted to her. Unfortunately she and all the girls knew they didn’t have a chance because he only had eyes for the club’s owner Rose.

The house band leader, Jasper, stepped up behind the bar and threw a water bottle in the recycling bin before patting Emmett on the shoulder. The two talked about Victoria’s abrupt departure while Jasper waited on his girlfriend to finish changing backstage.

The group stood around, talking and cleaning up here and there until the girls began to complain of exhaustion. Angela, Alice, and Jasper waved good night to Emmett, leaving him behind in the bar. From backstage, he could still hear a few of the performers, their animated chatter carrying through the empty club. He always made it his responsibility to hang around until the place had cleared out. Bourbon street in the wee hours of the morning wasn’t a place he wanted to see the girls wandering around alone.

-0-

Rose passed through the backstage area watching the girls wiping off heavy make-up and changing into street clothes. She didn’t waste her time chatting with her girls tonight. Instead, she grabbed her over-sized tote and made a beeline for the bar and her nightly hit.

She was almost afraid she would miss Emmett before he left. He was the bright spot in her day; an all around good guy that was great at his job. Not to mention sexy as hell with his cropped hair, tall and muscular frame and vibrant green eyes. He was delicious to look at and managed to lure in both female and male customers alike; the mystery that surrounded him had mass appeal.

Rose stepped up to the bar, flinging her bag on the shiny surface. As she hoped, he glanced up at her. Tonight his eyes were lined in royal blue, making them pop. Even while she was on stage, with the lights blinding her, she had felt his eyes on her the entire time and she’d been unable to keep her eyes from searching him out. Every lift of a hand, kick of a leg and swish of her hips was for him. As she performed, her hands ran over the curve of her hips and the swell of her breasts, each time imagining they were his instead.

“Hey Rosie, how’s it going?” Emmett’s tone was nonchalant, covering up the way his heart started pounding, just like it always did when she was near. Leaning his elbows on the hard wood he met his boss’ steely blue-eyed gaze. He sometimes wondered if she knew how worked up she got him with just a whisper of his name through her lips.

She didn’t say a word, just stared back at him. In the silence, his mind wandered to her body lit with stage lights, draped in strings of pearls that left little to his overactive imagination. One of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen in his life, she had self confidence that blew his mind. He could tell she knew exactly what she was doing when she put on a show. She was luscious and curvy; not the runway model, stick thin _girls_ you usually saw in this business. Rose was all woman, full breasts and hips with an hourglass figure that made all of his fantasies come alive.

He’d been dreaming about what he wanted to do to her for months. It usually varied, depending on which of her songs she treated them all with. Tonight he was thinking about taking her on top of the bar that he served drinks on every damn night. The sweet curves of her body were like a siren to him. Every time he listened to that sultry voice singing about being done wrong by a man or wanting someone to take her home, he had to hide his dick’s reaction.

Lost in the middle of his fantasy, Emmett barely noticed his phone buzzing, signaling a text message. Not until Rose arched one of her brows up practically to her hair line did he realize something was going on. It took him all of two seconds to reach under the bar to grab it but when he looked back up, all he saw was Rose’s back, disappearing through the door. _Well, fuck_.

“You dumbass, how many times are you going to miss your chance? You keep on and you’ll never have the opportunity,” he muttered to himself as he looked back down at the phone in his hand. Pressing the little green button to read the message he rolled his eyes when he saw the sender. “James.”

-0-

Rose didn’t bother hiding the smile on her face as she walked to her car in the low lit parking lot. She was just happy to have gotten her nightly bite of Emmett before going home alone to her one bedroom apartment. Too bad she had her own rules about dating her employees. If anyone could make her break them, it would be Emmett.

The drive home was quick and uneventful and Rose locked herself inside before stripping down and showering. Thoughts drifting back to Emmett again and again she turned the water a notch colder and hurried through her routine.

Maybe one day she’d give him a chance. Invite him over for dinner; tell him straight up that she just wanted him to fuck her ten ways to Sunday without there being any awkwardness between them. They’d go their separate ways and that would be that.

_Yeah, right._

-0-

After finishing the rest of his clean up for the night Emmett turned out all the lights and finished closing the place down. The remaining girls left a half hour before and he was ready to do the same. All Emmett could think about was his warm bed at home. _Too bad there’s no one there waiting for me. No, scratch that, too bad_ Rose _isn’t there waiting for me._

Emmett pushed the door to his apartment open once he finally got the lock to release. It had been sticking lately and he hadn’t had time to fix it.

“Hey, man! Did you get my text?” James asked as he turned from his position in front of the open refrigerator door.

“Yeah, sorry. I was kind of in a hurry to finish closing up. It was a long ass night. Victoria walked out halfway through her shift.” Emmett explained as he dropped his car keys and took a seat on the couch. James was watching some action flick on the TV and the coffee table was covered with empty drink cans and a bag of chips.

“That sucks. That chick is a little-”

“Crazy? Yeah, she got pissed that I was pulling in more tips or some shit. I don’t know. Thank goodness Angela had a little bit of experience tending bar.” Emmett went on to explain as he watched James carry a bowl of grapes back over to his favorite chair.

“I could probably come help out you know; now that I’m _jobless_ and everything.” James said slyly. His face was pointing in the direction of the TV but his eyes were on Emmett.

Emmett laughed and shook his head as one of his big hands met his forehead. “I completely forgot about _The Bar_ closing down! I’m so sorry. I wish I’d thought about it earlier tonight. We could have used you,” he sighed tiredly.

James shrugged it off with a laugh. Emmett was relieved he wasn’t upset about his employment status slipping his mind. He offered up, “I’ll call Rose in the morning and let her know I found a replacement.”

James turned his body to face Emmett, seated on the couch, “She lets you do the hiring?”

Emmett nodded and grinned at his roommate and best friend, “I’m head of bar staffing. Rose let’s me do what I want.”

An evil smile spread across James’ face. He couldn’t help but tease Emmett after hearing him boast. “She lets you do what you want, huh? Does that include her?”

Emmett sprung up from the couch, flipping James off as he walked to his bedroom. The two guys had been close for years but James loved to pull his chain, _especially_ when it came to Rosalie.

-0-

Emmett groaned when a sliver of light pierced through the edge of the blinds covering his bedroom window. Morning always came too soon for his liking. Inhaling deeply, he caught a lung full of fresh coffee brewing and both eyes popped open. If he must get out of bed, coffee was a good place to start.

Pushing the covers off of his body and reaching for his cell phone at the same time, Emmett realized just how early it was. Deciding to get up anyway, he climbed from the bed and stumbled into the living room. James was standing at the kitchen counter, staring at the coffee maker as it dripped slowly.

“Mornin’.” Emmett mumbled half-heartedly before stopping next to James. He reached up and grabbed the only two coffee mugs they owned and placed them on the counter. They both stared at the dark liquid like two kids looking into a candy store window; impatiently waiting to pour the jolt of caffeine into the ceramic.

The sound of Emmett’s cell phone ringing caused both guys to jerk. James raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything as Emmett slowly pulled the phone to his ear before muttering a word that sounded something like “jello”. James could hear the voice over the line and he automatically knew it was Bella, Emmett’s kid sister. Even with the time difference, she always managed to call at the crack of dawn. It drove Emmett insane and _that_ made James happy. Even though he’d never met her, he loved Bella for the way she could make his best friend go nuts.

He wasn’t really listening to the conversation going on next to him because he was so focused on the brew. When the last drip fell, James’ hand shot out and grabbed the carafe handle before Emmett had the chance. His bulky friend glared at him but James just grinned.

The next words from Emmett’s mouth made him stop and look over at him. “Yeah, you can crash here. It’s no big deal. I’ll be at work most of the time and James will have class and work too.”

Emmett poured himself a cup of coffee and poured a ridiculous amount of sugar in, making James cringe. He preferred it black, _like his soul_.

James’ felt the caffeine waking his mind up as he listened to Bella protest on the other end of the phone. He waved a hand to get Emmett’s attention and raised his voice enough for Bella to hear him, “Honestly, she’s welcome to stay here.” He leaned closer to the phone, “You’re welcome to crash here, Bella. I don’t mind at all. We can be couch bunk-mates.”

Emmett squinted his eyes at James as he walked away, a smile on his face.

After breakfast James disappeared to get dressed for his morning run while Emmett placed a call to Rosalie. She was already out and about; he could hear the sounds of the gym over the phone when the call connected. Emmett explained to her that he had someone he wanted to bring on for a trial run for the bartender job. Rose fired off a couple of question to him about James’ qualifications and his ability to get the job done.

Her club wasn’t something she took lightly and she was not willing to hire just anyone, friend or not. Emmett knew that the ‘Thorn’ was the most important thing in her life.

Bartender and club owner came to an agreement that James would work the rest of the weekend, later Rose would decide if she was going to allow Emmett to keep him or not. “Thanks, Rose. You won’t regret it. He’s a good guy; A hard worker. I wouldn’t go out on a limb for just anyone,” he assured her.

“See that you don’t disappoint me Emmett. I’ll take it out on your ass if he fails.” Rose’s voice was demanding. Her husky voice gave Emmett other ideas about her taking it out on him and he sighed. Once the call was disconnected, Emmett headed straight for the shower. He planned to spend a little time with _Palm_ ela while he fantasized about Rose before going to work.

-0-

There wasn’t another soul in Bourbon Thorn when Emmett let himself into the building. This was one of his favorite parts of coming to work early; the calm before the storm. In a little less than an hour Rosalie would arrive and they would go over sales from the night before.

There was always anticipation flowing through him when he knew he’d be seeing Rose soon. They often were the only two in the place until it was close to opening time. These were some of his favorite moments; spending them side by side with her while they worked. At times it made Emmett feel lame that he was so hung up on his boss. He felt like he should have been going after women his own age, but they never interested him. Those self berating thoughts never lasted too long, usually squashed by a look or soft sigh from Rose.

Lucky for Emmett, Rose never seemed to look at any other man with interest. According to the rumors he had heard; once upon a time Rose had been married to a jerk of a guy that tried to force her into a mold she wasn’t meant for. After he’d become some big shot lawyer he’d tried to insist on her getting a personal trainer to ‘slim down’. He’d been surprised to learn she had put up with that’ even for a few weeks. That was not his Rose.

However, when Royce had pressed her to sell her club, to become a society lady, she’d put her foot down and ended the relationship. Her divorce from the raging asshole, as he liked to think of him, was done a few days after he started working at the Bourbon Thorn. That night she’d announced she wasn’t interested in another relationship. Over the past three years Emmett had been working there she had stayed true to her word. He had never seen her date anyone and her soul focus in life, as far as he knew, was her club.

Emmett still wanted to punch the guy in the face just on principal, but truth be told, he was glad she was rid of Royce now. How anyone could disrespect and hurt someone as talented and beautiful, inside and out, as Rosie was beyond him.

“Do you get paid to daydream?” Rosalie’s voice cut into Emmett’s thoughts as the door slammed behind her. He jerked upright and spun around. Today she was wearing a flaming red pencil skirt and black button up sweater. But the piece de resistance were her fuck me pumps. They made him want to fall at her feet when he noticed.

When his eyes traveled back up her shapely, long legs over her thick thighs, curvy hips, and along her torso his mouth watered. He reached her breasts and his dick thumped against the zipper of his jeans. Many a dream had showcased those beautiful, voluptuous tits. What he wouldn’t give to take them in his hands, the soft silkiness spilling over. As he watched in fascination her nipples began to press against the fabric covering them.

Rose cleared her throat, breaking Emmett out of the stare that had heat rising up her neck and down her spine. Every time he looked at her that way; it was all she could do not to pull him to her office and beg him to fuck her on the desk. The only thing stopping her was the fear of screwing up and losing a fantastic employee. And his age. From Emmett’s employee file she knew she had ten years on him.

Mouth dry from his lust filled gaze, she licked her lips, her tongue moving over the red lipstick that she so painstakingly applied. His eyes caught the movement and she stifled a giggle at the low groan that rumbled from his chest. Before Rose could get any ideas, she quickly turned toward her office, heels clicking across the floor in fast succession. There was a sway to her hips because she knew he was watching. Once behind the closed door she leaned against it; trying to catch her breath. She just might need a change of panties after they met to go over numbers.

An hour later Emmett heard the squeak of the office door open before Rose stepped out; paperwork in her hands and a no nonsense look on her face. This was business woman Rosalie. Fucking hell, this side of her made him hot, too. He watched as she stopped at an old jukebox and pressed a few buttons. Soft music filled the empty room as she settled on a bar stool.

Sitting across from one another was torture for both Rose and Emmett. Every chance he got, he watched her as she studied the numbers in front of them. There was a pair of glasses perched on her nose and her long blond hair was twisted up in casual disarray. She looked delicious.

Rose’s eyes shifted up to meet his stare and her body burned in acknowledgement of the desire wafting off of him. _How much longer could she keep denying herself at least a little taste of him?_ Rose shook her head to clear it before going back to the work on the bar top. Emmett began drumming his fingers distractedly and her hand jerked out to covers his.

His skin was hot and smooth beneath hers, not what she’d expected at all. The innocent touch coursed through her body and she moved to snatch her hand back. Before she could pull away, Emmett flipped his hand over and grabbed hers gently. They were palm-to-palm and Rose could feel the rough texture of his fingertips while they whispered along the inside of her wrist. A touch so light that it was just a ghost on her skin but still it sent her heart racing.

Pressing his fingers against her pulse, Emmett felt her body reacting to his and it gave him a shove. He released her hand and moved his up the inside of her forearm, the movement lazy and slow. Both pairs of eyes followed his digits as they caressed up to the elbow, where skin met cashmere. Expecting that he would pull away, Rose braced herself for the loss of his touch. Instead of getting what she expected, she got what she wanted.

The progression up her arm continued up her bicep, over her shoulder until Emmett cupped the side of her neck. Eyes followed the trail of his arm up to his face and a jolt passed through Rose’s body when she saw he was watching her. There was a mixture of tenderness and lust in his green gaze and a shiver worked it’s way up her spine.

“This is a bad idea,” Rose told him in a thick voice, her dry throat screaming.

“Probably,” he grinned as he leaned forward slowly. Lips hovering over hers, his warm breath tickling across her face was Rose’s undoing. She met him halfway, leaning over the expanse of the bar as Emmett’s plump lips crashed into hers.

It was exactly what she thought it would be; intense, needy, hungry. His lips tasted like a mixture of smooth bourbon and sweet honey. _This was probably the worst idea of my life,_ she told herself as his tongue slipped into her mouth. Rose’s lips parted instinctively. It had been so long since she’d been kissed like this, full of fire and want. Everything about the way he was touching her made her burn.

Both of Emmett’s large hands framed her face, afraid she’d pull away when he couldn’t bear to let her go. The closer he leaned into her, the harder his cock got and the more it pressed into the edge of the bar. It hurt like a mother fucker but there was no way he’d ever give up the feel of her lips.

Their lips began to slow into a more languid kiss just as a commotion filled the room. Rose jumped away and Emmett’s hands were left embracing nothing but air. Her eyes were huge in her creamy face and they darted to the door as Alice and Jasper sauntered in. Alice’s chirping voice greeted them happily, just as if it was any other day, but Jasper gave them both a look that said he knew what was up.

Emmett shook his head just slightly, knowing if Rose realized they were caught, he would never get the chance to kiss her again. As far as he was concerned, he was going to be doing more than that sometime soon. _Hopefully._

As Rose wandered over to talk to Alice at the stage; Jasper leaned against the bar and grinned lazily. Emmett knew Jazz was aware of his feelings for their boss; but the guy had never actually come out and asked him about it. Jasper lifted a finger in the air and opened his mouth to speak, but Emmett’s frown stopped him.

The girls turned to look back when they heard the sound of Jasper’s laughter. He doubled over the bar laughing his ass off at his buddy. Emmett just grumbled and turned away to place some stock on the back bar. He really shouldn’t give a damn what Jasper thought. He’d just kissed Rosalie fucking King. As far as he was concerned; that asshole should be jealous.

Being ignored left Jasper no choice but to saunter over to the girls. Alice’s delicate fingers flipped through a stack of sheet music while Rose peered over her shoulder. Her cheeks were still tinted red, but Jasper knew Rose well enough to realize it wasn’t from embarrassment. The thought of her and Emmett together made him cringe. _Gross_. How anyone could be attracted to that big oaf behind the bar was a mystery to him. Rose on the other hand; he could see the appeal there. Even with his immense love for Alice, Jasper could appreciate the beauty of Rosalie. She wore her bodacious body well.

The three of them spent the rest of the afternoon looking over music selections while Emmett finished paperwork. When James showed up, he spent a couple of hours getting acquainted with the set up. All the while it did not escape anyone’s notice that Rose and Emmett’s eyes darted away from one another when caught staring.

Emmett adjusted the uncomfortable hard on with the side of his hand as the bouncer opened the doors for business. _It was going to be a long night_.

-0-

Definitely a long night.

Rose decided to join the girls for a number. Again, with the pearls and the Marilyn Monroe style wig.

As soon as the first few chords of the song had begun Emmett groaned and nearly dropped the bottle of beer in his hand. He’d turned to James; his eyes wide with fear because he knew what was coming. She would have him begging at her feet by the end of the night. _It was a good thing he wasn’t too proud to crawl_.

It was the most torturous form of foreplay, watching Rose on stage. Her delectable hips moved to what Emmett referred to as the “Fuck With Emmett’s Head number”. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear it was all for him. Skimming over the curves and dipping into the places that make his own body scream. Her red lipstick glistened on her lips again and instantly visions of her mouth around his cock flooded his mind. He’d give anything to run his hands all over her. To make her cry his name in sweet release.

Across the crowd blue eyes met green; both full of desire and want. Rose smiled when she noticed Emmett’s lips form the words “fuck me”. She tilted her chin down and looked up at him through her long lashes. Without thinking she continued to gaze at him, even leaning forward, giving him a teasing glimpse of her breasts. The crowd went wild, thinking she was playing it up for them but she knew something they didn’t. It had been decided. Tonight she was going to take home the most gorgeous and amazing man she’d ever met.

Emmett couldn’t tear his eyes away from the stage through Rose’s entire song and dance routine. She was beautiful, sultry and had him wrapped around her finger like no one ever had. Her antics were sexual, like popping the cork of a champagne bottle that sat between the piano players legs, the liquid bubbling out of it’s confinement. If she kept this up that would be Emmett exploding in his pants. It was that damn costume that really did him in; coming off piece by piece as parts of her were covered with well placed feather fans held by Alice and Angela. He had a fine imagination but he would rather see what she looked like under all that; live and in person.

Once Rose’s number ended and the curtains on the stage dropped dramatically Emmett realized he hadn’t managed to serve one drink since it started. James seemed to have a pretty good handle on the situation when he turned to look at him. There were glasses and shakers flying through the air as he made quick work of filling orders.

Emmett finally got his ass in gear and began working alongside his friend. They played off of one another for the rest of the night; tossing tumblers back and forth across the expanse of floor behind the bar area. The crowd got amped as the girls performed on stage; even making a show of moving out onto the floor and the bar area a time or two.

James was standing on the bar top, screaming out last call when Emmett caught a movement to his left. Glancing over he realized it was Rosalie. She was perched on a bar stool and looked pretty comfortable. He had no idea how long she’d been sitting there, watching the two guys do their thing. Emmett jogged over to her and rested his forearms on the bar so he could lean closer to Rose’s face.

“What can I do for you?” the tone of his voice left no question that he was not only talking about the drink.

Rose cocked her head to the side and smiled at him, “How about a ‘Quicky’?”

Emmett appeared to consider it before responding back with, “I don’t know. That seems dissatisfying. Let’s go for a ‘One Night Stand’.”

“No, I think I’d prefer ‘A Southern Screw’, followed by an ‘Orgasm’.”

He moved closer, his smirking lips hovering near hers. She expected him to kiss her but he didn’t. Before she realized it Emmett was spinning away and walking over to the liquor. He greeted a couple of customers and she watched the smooth way he mixed and served their drinks. _Who knew bartending could be so damn sexy?_

As the bar area began to slack off for the night; Emmett left James to tend to a couple of beers before mixing and delivering a drink to his boss. “A Goodnight Special,” he said as he placed it in front of her. Just as the glass hit the hard surface beneath it he placed a bottle of water next to it. Rose’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and he just grinned before walking away.

She’d never been much of a drinker, which Emmett would have noticed by now. The fact that he would go out of his way to remember her preferences for chasing alcohol with water got her attention. _How many other things did he know about her?_ Something so small and unimportant shouldn’t tug at her the way it did.

Bourbon Thorn cleared out quickly after the alcohol stopped flowing and the girls left the stage. Rose motioned for James to come over to her end of the bar and she congratulated him on a job well done. “You interested in a full time gig?” she asked with a smile on her face. He and Emmett both looked at her, grinning like two idiots before they started doing some complicated hand shake. Rose watched, shaking her head at their antics as Alice and a couple of the girls slid up to the bar and asked for shots.

“Drinks on me tonight! You all did a fantastic job. And we have a new employee to welcome into the family,” Rose gestured to James and the group whooped and hollered while Emmett poured shots.

It was impossible for Rose to take her eyes off of him. She downed her drink then began to open the bottle of water in front of her. James offered her a shot of the finest whiskey but she waved him away with her hand. No way was she going to let booze cloud her mind when she planned to have Emmett in her bed later.

Once everyone finally cleared out, Rose stood from her bar stool. She crooked a finger at Emmett. James shut the door behind himself and they were finally alone. Emmett didn’t waste time getting to Rose. He surprised her by jumping up on the bar and quickly moving his large body to stand on the other side. She looked shocked at first but quickly covered the reaction with a smile. His large hands framed her face and he muttered something about continuing where they left off.

Pulling away from his lips, Rose used a hand to push against Emmett’s chest until he stepped back. “I plan on doing a little more than that. Perhaps we should take this some place more,” she allowed her lips to shadow his, “private.”

Emmett’s eyes grew wide as saucers and his mouth dropped open in surprise. He had been anticipating kissing her again, sure; but the idea that Rose would invite him to go home with her was the last thing he expected. His body reacted immediately, heating up and yearning to feel her against him.

A smirk moved across Rose’s naked lips when she heard Emmett’s chest rumble with a moan. As much as she’d lusted after him, wanting to feel his naked skin against hers, she hadn’t allowed herself the luxury of believing it would happen. But after their shared kiss earlier, all thoughts of ignoring the pull she felt for him were banished. Hands fisted in Emmett’s shirt, she pulled him so his chest was touching hers. When she moved her hips against his there was an unmistakable hardness trapped between them.

Big hands moved to grip her hips, running over the lines of her body that had tempted him for months. A million fantasies had been drifting through Emmett’s mind for longer than he could remember, and he was ready to start acting out quite a few of them with her.

Rose took Emmett by the hand and led him out of the club. He drove his own car to her place and neither of them spoke when he met her at her door and she let them into her apartment. He took a look around when he entered but his main interest was in getting his boss naked. Before Emmett could even turn to her she was pushing him back against a wall; just next to the front door.

Her mouth attacked his; her body molding to his from head to toe. Emmett’s hands moved to her ass and lifted her up. The skirt Rose was wearing moved up her thighs as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Pushing away from the wall he stepped toward the only closed door in the apartment, the place he assumed was her bedroom. Teeth scraped the tender skin on the side of his neck and he moaned. A seductive chuckle vibrated next to his ear and his hands squeezed her round ass. This time he was rewarded with a shiver that made Rose’s body rock against his.

They stumbled their way into her bedroom, falling in a tangle of arms and legs on top of the bed

“Hey!” Rose smacked Emmett on the shoulder as she bounced next to him. He threw his head back and laughed. “Don’t break my bed, jackass. It’s not a trampoline.”

Before he spoke Emmett flipped her over onto her back; his hands holding her arms above her head with a pout on his lips. Rose rolled her eyes up at him. “Honestly Emmett, I was joking. Do you think I would have a bed that was easily destructible? I’ve been hoping to get you here for a while.”

His sexy pout turned into a full fledged grin and Rose felt herself melting. He moved faster than Rose would have thought possible for a man of his size. His hands were moving all over her body; kneading the curves of her hips then moving up her torso he pushed the edge of Rose’s shirt until skin was exposed.

Her fingers ran through his short brown hair while his head dipped to kiss and nip. Muscles under smooth skin quivered as Emmett’s lips made their way up. When Rose’s raspy voice moaned his body hardened until it was almost unbearable.

One of Emmett’s hands had a mind of its own, stroking down her body until it reached his groin. He pushed his palm against his dick, trying to readjust it in the confines of his jeans. Unexpectedly his fingers were pulled and tugged and his face dropped to look between his crotch and her hips. Rose’s hand covered his, rubbing and tracing her fingers over him until he thought he might explode.

He pushed against Rose’s palm, seeking more pressure, more pleasure. She whispered more dirty words in his ear than he’d heard in his lifetime. There had never been, and probably never would be again, a woman that turned him on as much as she did. The desire for her had been building for so long he was sure he wouldn’t last long once he finally took her.

Pulling her hand away Rose began to unbutton his jeans then reached for the zipper. Her hand moved so fast, determined to reveal him to her eyes, that Emmett froze for a few heartbeats. Rose’s self-confidence was a huge bonus. As she attempted to push his pants over his hips Emmett began revealing more of her skin until her shirt hit the floor.

Finally having her naked and in front of him was more than he could have asked for. Her body was breath taking and left Emmett in awe. She watched as his large hands explored her; the movement so slow as he crept along outlining her body. Words of praise and lust were uttered in a nonstop stream until he reached her breasts. He cupped them, squeezing gently and pushing them together, his eyes shone with fascination; as if he’d never laid eyes on the form of a woman.

Blue eyes traveled across his face, taking in his expression, turning her on more as she watched him. When his thumb pressed against a nipple Rose arched her back for more. A rush of arousal pooled between her legs and she shifted her hips, needing friction that was not being provided just yet.

Neither of them wanted to rush the moment but it was hard to slow the pace. “Rose, you have no idea how damn badly I’ve wanted my hands on you.” Emmett’s voice was rough and sent fingers of lust up her spine.

“If it’s as badly as I’ve wanted your dick in me, I’d say we are even.”

Rose’s words and tone had Emmett’s head jerking up to look at her face. She wore a smirk on her lips and a devious sparkle in her eyes. The look had Emmett’s mouth crashing down to meet hers. He nipped and sucked at her bottom lip until Rose forced her tongue into his mouth, engaging him in a battle of wills. Each of them tried to get the upper hand as hands stroked bare skin and sought to remove remaining clothing.

He unhooked her bra as Rose tried to pull his black t-shirt over his head. They both laughed, their mouths still fused together when his arm got stuck in the sleeve. Finally managing to wrangle himself loose, Emmett tossed the t-shirt to the floor. Rose’s bra joined shortly after. Quickly they discarded his jeans and boxers then Rose’s skirt.

Finally. Finally he could get his hands on all of her bare skin. He touched her with such reverence that it was almost hard for Rose to focus. She ran her hands over his wide shoulders, down his back as far as she could reach. Emmett’s lips moved down her neck to gently kiss over the swell of her breasts. His tongue swirled around her nipple, pulling it into his mouth and Rose arched up to him.

Emmett stopped and glanced up at her before asking, “How is it possible you taste so good?”

Rose didn’t offer any reply as she ran her nails up the back of his neck then tugged his head. Guiding hands moved him to the other breast and her silky skin pressed up to meet his mouth. Emmett moaned around her swollen flesh and bit down, tugging with his teeth. His hands moved to the curve of her waist until they reached the lace of her panties. Fingers slipped beneath the soft fabric and began to run along the edge. His light touch caused goose bumps to pop up on her skin and a shiver to skitter all over her body.

As Emmett began to move down her body his phone started to ring. Both he and Rose groaned but Emmett didn’t stop to check the screen. He blindly hit ‘ignore’ and continued worshipping her body. Making his way to her belly button and beginning to pull her panties down he was once again interrupted by ringing.

“Son of a- I’m going to kick his _ass_!” It was obvious that he knew who the caller was. Rose laughed when Emmett jerked the phone up and hit the power button. Once the room was once again filled with only the sound of their breathing Emmett continued his journey.

Her panties were pulled down over her thighs; his eyes watching intently as more flesh was revealed to hungry eyes. He placed kisses all along the path his fingers trailed until he reached her calves and finally her feet. Kissing his way back up her long shapely legs he allowed his hands to massage her warm skin. Rose started to move restlessly against the bed when Emmett reached her thighs, inching closer and closer to her wet pussy. He glided his fingers higher; the feather light touch turning her on more as she panted out his name.

Leaning forward, swiping the flat of his tongue against her sensitive skin, Emmett tasted the wetness on her thighs. The groan he released vibrated against her skin and had her moaning. Rose’s fingers tugged at his shoulders wanting him to move up until his mouth was finally on her. Just when she thought he wasn’t going to give her what she begged for he began to move up her body again. His lips kissed up over her stomach; leaving a trail up to her mouth. He paused only a moment to reach down for his pants.

Rose knew what he was grabbing and when he returned to her, her hands gripped his back, pulling him down and wrapping her legs around his waist to urge him on. She felt him pull back for just a moment as she heard a package tearing open. His hand disappeared and she knew he was putting the condom on; which fired her body up even more.

When he finished, he leaned back down against her; the brush of his skin against hers taking her to a new level of want and desire. The intense look on his face reminded Rose of the times she’d locked eyes with him while on stage. There had always been so much in just one glance; it made her skin feel like it was on fire. Now that she’d finally had the chance to feel his hands up close and personal it was an entirely different experience. _How would she ever allow herself to see him as just an employee or a fling after tonight?_

Emmett’s mouth sucked the skin at the crook of her neck in between murmurings of her name. His hands moved down her torso to her hips where he held her undulating body close to his. But he didn’t stop there, instead, he glided along her thick thighs; loving the feel of her silky skin. Her nails dug into his back; urging him on without words because she was too busy whimpering.

The sound of her reactions to him drove Emmett on and he couldn’t wait to feel how wet she was. He could feel the heat of her pussy radiating as one of his hands moved to slip between her legs. They both moaned when his fingers slipped against her, just lightly grazing her swollen lips before he pushed into her - testing, teasing. His balls tightened when he imagined what it would be like to have his dick in her.

Fortunately he didn’t have to wait too long because Rose reached down and grabbed his hand before he could move his thumb over her clit more than once. Moaning his name she dug her heels into the mattress and widened her thighs to accommodate him.

“Fuck me, Emmett. I don’t need niceties.”

Her words shot through him and Emmett looked into Rose’s face. There was a light sheen of sweat on her upper lip and her eyelids were lowered, but he could still see the lust in the very edge of her eyes. Dropping his face to kiss her, he sucked her top lip into his mouth, tasting the saltiness there. Rose positioned him at her entrance and lifted her hips. The sound of Emmett hissing assaulted her ears and she knew he wanted this as much as she did. There was no more waiting.

He slowly pushed into her, taking his time on purpose. Rose wrapped her legs around him then pressed her heels into his ass. Her fingers moved along his spine as she gripped his back. Once he was seated to the hilt in her his mouth moved against hers again, the kiss intensifying with him filling her body. A long drawn out “mmm” echoed through the room, rumbling against her chest and making her nipples ache for his mouth.

Tearing her mouth away from his she arched her back into his chest then spoke in a shuddering voice. “Roll over,” Rose commanded and Emmett did as she said, trying to enjoy every moment for fear he wouldn’t ever be able to touch her like this again. Once they were repositioned, Rose straddling him, Emmett gripped her hips and she began to ride him.

“Fuck, damn, you feel so good. I want to fuck you all night.”

“Good. That was my plan.”

Her body moved in waves above his, arching and curving so beautifully that he couldn’t have looked away if he’d wanted to. _Not that he would want to_. It would be impossible not to see her this way when he looked at her later. Her breasts, so full and begging for his lips, bounced as her hips built a pattern; fast, slow, tortuously slow then built back up to slow and fast again. It was too much - but it wasn’t enough.

Emmett watched every move her body made, memorizing it all as she stared down at him, her eyes intense and her hair wild around her face. She braced her hands on his stomach, fingers flexed against his muscles as they moved beneath his skin. Tracing the line of hair up his abs and back down again made him lift his hips and press harder against her.

Between gasping breaths she began to beg him to go harder, faster and he flipped her over onto her back once more. He placed her hands above her head and braced himself on the headboard above them. Rose was right, it was strong and he used it for leverage to pound into her body, giving her what she moaned for; what he longed for. The sound of skin against skin made her wetter.

It was hypnotic, the way his body moved above hers, muscles playing under skin. He was beautiful, powerful and a very small part of her knew how lucky she was to have his attention. She’d already known Emmett had his eye on her for a while and it did things to her, to have someone looking at her the way he did. She’d never really lacked for self confidence but to say that Royce’s words didn’t sting at times would have been a lie. Having someone want her the way Emmett did, after her ex-husband, made a huge difference in her life, even if he didn’t realize it.

The shimmering pleasure began to course through her body faster. Rose lifted her hips to meet every thrust. Her hands moved to Emmett’s chest, nails running down his pecs, over his nipples and his abs. She looked up at him, watching the way his bottom lip took abuse from his teeth as he bit down. Her hands moved over his shoulders and down his back until they gripped his ass. She used her heels and hands to pull him down harder, closer. The tightening began in her stomach and she begged him for more even though she knew he was giving her everything.

Rose lifted her chest to press against his, her mouth coming up to lick at his neck. Lips followed a line of salty sweat down the straining tendons then teeth nipped at his collar bone. Emmett’s hips bucked against hers, losing their rhythm when she sucked. He muttered words Rose couldn’t make out because his voice was so gruff. The sound of it sent shivers through her.

Their movements were soon out of sync and Rose was the first to give up the battle. Emmett kept his composure until she came around him, her body pulling him in deeper, pulsing around him while he pumped into her. She chanted his name over and over while she came. There was no more holding back for him as he watched her body arch and tumble into oblivion beneath him. He came hard inside of her, moaning and grunting until Rose thought she actually might start giggling at the sounds.

Once his hips stopped moving Emmett eased his body down onto hers, making sure not to put too much of his weight on her frame. He struggled to catch his breath, overwhelmed by the way she took him into her body - finally giving him what he’d been yearning for. After they both had time to catch their breath Emmett pulled out of her, making both of them moan. His body burned against hers as he turned onto his side and pulled her in to his chest.

Emmett’s mouth latched onto hers; kissing Rose deeply while one of his hands moved up and down her slick skin. When he pulled away he placed kisses all over her face then down to her neck, muttering about how beautiful she was. Rose greeted him with sighs of pleasure when he leaned back to look at her.

“What took us so damn long?” Rose asked and Emmett threw his head back then laughed.

She took the opportunity to move into his neck, kissing it as his voice vibrated against her lips. “I don’t have a fucking clue. I definitely plan on making up for the lost time though.”

“I’m ok with that.” she told him.

He grinned and looked down at her face. She looked beautiful and sated, her curvy body soft against his. “Good.”

Her forehead dropped to rest in the crook of his neck while his arms wound around her body, their legs threaded together. Taking the opportunity to place kisses on her shoulder, Emmett cradled her against him. His hands brushed through her hair; the silken strands glinting under the lamp light. When her breathing became shallow he was surprised to realize she’d fallen asleep. Resting his head on a pillow he watched her sleep; drifting off shortly after. Finally he was where he wanted to be.

-0-

 **A/N:** This started out as just an entry for the Curvy Contest. However, James is not allowing us to ignore him and he will be featured in a piece we are submitting for Fandom4Tsunami. Be sure to donate for such a good cause and you’ll get some awesome fics in return.


	2. Good Girl

**Fandom:** Twilight

 **Pairing:** James/Bella (All Human)

 **Title:** Good Girl

 **Rating:** NC-17

 **Author:** StupidLeeches (nicekittyrawr  & wolfh00r)

 

 **A/N:** This came about after we watched Burlesque together. We originally wrote an entry for the Curvy Contest (Emmett/Rose), which can be found on our FFn profile http://fanfiction.net/~stupidleeches  This James/Bella is a continuation of that. We goofed, thought we’d emailed our fic donation but cc’d ourselves instead #facepalm We are SO sorry. Thank you for donating to Fandom4Tsunami if you did!! It’s such a good cause that raised a lot of money to help Japan.

 

Bella’s song: youtube[dot]com/watch?v=YDPR5EoYqOs

 

 **Disclaimer:** We just love to play with SM’s characters and do a little re-pairing. Any recognizable characters are hers. We just stuck them in a new plot.

 

-0-

 

**New Orleans, Louisiana**

 

James had no sooner closed the door of the apartment when a light knock sounded. He turned and looked at it in surprise. _Who would be coming over at two in the morning?_ He’d only just gotten home from his shift at Bourbon Thorn, the local burlesque club. Emmett wouldn’t be home tonight, he suspected, and he certainly wouldn’t be knocking at his own apartment door. Looking through the peep hole James didn’t see anyone at first. His eye moved down a little lower and a dark haired, petite girl stood with a smile on her pretty face. Brow furrowed in confusion, James flipped the deadbolt he had fixed earlier in the day and pulled the door open.

 

Now that he was able to get a good look at her he noticed that although she was short, her body was curvy; that of a woman, not a girl. She wore simple clothes: jeans, a fitted and worn boy band t-shirt, and sneakers.

 

Bella was surprised when she was greeted by someone other than her brother. In front of her stood a guy she didn’t know. He was a few inches shorter than Emmett and since he was in his apartment, she assumed it was James. He had gray-blue eyes and a sculpted masculine face framed by light scruff.

 

“James?” Her voice was soft but he still looked surprised when she spoke his name.

 

“Uh, yeah. I’m sorry, do I know you?” His mind wandered, trying to place her, hoping that she wasn’t someone he’d slept with in the past and didn’t remember. That had happened once; Emmett sent a girl over from the bar when she’d asked for his whereabouts. His best friend thought it was hilarious.

 

“Bella. Emmett’s sister?” She sounded hesitant now, like she was asking him instead of telling him who she was.

 

James’ mouth formed an “o” in realization. This, he was not expecting. He knew Emmett was expecting Bella to come to New Orleans, but James was certain he had no clue it would be tonight. His roommate had certainly not mentioned it being so soon. Bella looked up at him expectantly and he realized she was waiting on him to invite her in. He stepped back and waved a hand for her to enter. She bent to pick up a duffel bag that sat at her feet; James hadn’t noticed it before.

 

Bella stepped inside and walked past James. He caught a whiff of a light, sweet scent when she entered. It took him a delayed second before shutting the door and turning to her. Looking around the living room Bella had her back to James and he took the opportunity to let his eyes roam down her body. He knew Emmett would pound him in the head if he saw him checking out his sister. His only excuse was that he was a guy and it was hard for him to keep his eyes off of a beautiful woman.

 

Spinning around to face James, she shifted from foot to foot awkwardly, like she was trying to catch her balance. “I guess Emmett isn’t here?”

 

James scratched the back of his neck and looked at her rather awkwardly before explaining that Emmett was probably not coming home. He didn’t know if he should tell her Emmett was most likely having sex with his boss right about now. Pulling his phone out of his pocket he tried giving him a call, but it went straight to voicemail, probably by Emmett pressing ‘ignore’. Frowning at the phone in his hand James tried him again without an answer. Thinking the third time was a charm he redialled but it didn’t ring at all this time. Emmett, apparently, had turned his phone off.

 

“Uh, I guess he’s busy. I was just about to crash for the night. If you want to- take the couch I can sleep on the floor.”

 

Bella looked perplexed as she glanced back at the one bedroom in the place. “I’m exhausted actually. It was long drive. I think- maybe I’ll take Emmett’s bed though. You did say he won’t be coming home.”

 

“Yeah, right. Um, duh. That’s a smart idea. I’ll show you where the bathroom and everything is.” he nodded his head and Bella followed him through the apartment.

 

They went their separate ways, both crashing for the night after a brief but cordial ‘goodnight’. Bella was not surprised that as soon as her head hit Emmett’s pillow she was out.

 

-0-

 

James woke early, as always, his internal clock waking him up at the same time, even on weekends. He quietly got out of bed, dressed and started a pot of coffee. The last few drips had fallen as he heard the bedroom door squeak open and Bella appeared. “Good morning,” he smiled at the sleepy eyes that greeted him.

 

“Morning,” Bella muttered then hmm’d her appreciation when her nose picked up the smell of coffee. James couldn’t help but chuckle at the similarities between Bella and her brother. He pulled out Emmett’s usual mug and poured in some of the steaming brew before handing it to Bella.

 

Nudging an elbow at the bowl of sugar James slanted his eyes over as Bella wrapped her hands around her coffee cup. Inhaling the aroma of Italian roast she closed her eyes and sighed happily. “No thanks. I take it black,” her voice was rough from sleep when she spoke. “Black like my soul.”

 

His head jerked back when he heard her familiar words. How many times had he said that to Emmett? _Weird_.

 

They both wandered over to the small bistro table that sat in the corner of the kitchen. James placed his coffee on the surface then wandered over to a cabinet and began to pull out a box of cereal, bowls and then two spoons. Bella watched him curiously. He didn’t seem to speak much but that suited her just fine.

 

Placing a bowl and spoon on his side of the table, then Bella’s, James grabbed milk from the fridge before coming back again. They ate in companionable silence as the sun drifted in through the tall living room windows. The room had gotten brighter by the time the rattle of the front door echoed through the apartment.

 

Bella jumped up when Emmett entered; she leaped at him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he stumbled back. Her name came out on a surprised gasp. It was obvious to James that Emmett didn’t know Bella was going to show up at his front door hours after having called him the morning before.

 

Emmett sat her on her feet awkwardly then glanced over at James. “Bells, what are you doing here? I thought it would be a couple of weeks before you packed up.”

 

She stood in front of Emmett, grinning widely, her eyes dancing with excitement over seeing her brother. “Yeah, that was the original plan but I wanted to get here before my birthday.”

 

“Ah yeah, the big twenty-one. I guess celebrating that in N’awlins would be more fun than political stuffy-ass DC with the ‘rents.”

 

“Exactly! I thought it might be fun to come to your bar- see where you work and let you serve me my first legal drink.”

 

Emmett looked a little unsure about this idea. James knew that it was because Bella thought he worked at a ‘normal’ night club. She had no idea that it was a burlesque club. It was a far cry from being a strip club but he assumed Emmett still wouldn’t want Bella there.

 

“How about we go out and do dinner instead? There are some great restaurants around here.”

 

James grinned as he watched Emmett squirm. He didn’t know why his friend was so awkward about his occupation but he enjoyed seeing his discomfort. Taking a sip of his coffee, James leaned back in his chair and waited.

 

“What? NO. I want to go out and do something awesome. I could get a stuffy dinner in Washington. That isn’t what I had in mind, Emm,” Bella’s voice was firm and a little louder than James had heard it. The way she stood up to her brother caught his attention. _I think I like this girl_. The two continued to argue until finally Emmett caved when she pouted her lips at him. _Hmm, nice lips_. James shook his head and did his best to focus on the fact that this woman was his best friends’ little sister.

 

Bella smiled at Emmett. She knew he’d give in when she used the perfected pout on him. He’d always been a sucker when she was a kid. Her excitement bubbled over and she left the two guys in the living room so she could shower.

 

-0-

 

The day of Bella’s twenty-first birthday came quickly. Emmett hadn’t been at the apartment much, which left a lot of time for James and Bella to hang out. Emmett had felt terrible, but when he grudgingly admitted he was seeing someone, she happily let him off the hook. Mostly she was excited for Emmett, but also, she felt comfortable with James, and that was saying a lot.

 

Sometimes she was beyond awkward with guys. It was not the case with James though. His smiling face and sparkling eyes put her at ease. The way he teased her made her laugh and she told herself if she wasn’t careful; she’d wind up falling hard for him. Her last boyfriend had been a lot like that and she’d been broken hearted when they’d parted so he could move across the country for medical school.

 

Emmett had insisted on her taking his bedroom until she found a place of her own. At first she felt bad that she was taking the room when James was sleeping on the couch but he insisted he wanted her to. They’d managed to come up with a schedule and routine for the bathroom and shared cooking duty. James had joked with her that she was a better roommate than Emmett, who was a complete slob most of the time.

 

Bella often sat quietly reading in the over-sized chair while James was on the couch studying. After he left for work on her birthday, Bella realized she was lonely without him there. The idea of being so attached to him in such a short amount of time bothered her. Bella spent most of the afternoon going through the slow process of getting ready to go to the Bourbon Thorn that night. She washed and dried her hair then styled it in loose curls. Her make-up application was minimal, a few shades of pink on her eyes and cheeks with a light gloss on her lips.

 

The only thing she’d really put focus on was what she would wear. It had been a while since Bella had the opportunity to dress up. She enjoyed having the chance tonight. Emmett came home a little before nine that night, explaining he’d taken the night off and was letting James take care of the bar. Her big brother escorted her to the club, his body full of tension.

 

“This isn’t like a normal bar, Bella.” He continued telling her the same thing during the car ride over; Bella assured him that she could handle it. It was hard for Emmett to see her as an adult; even now that she’d graduated college. They approached the front entrance and Emmett bypassed the line of people waiting to enter. A few regulars called out his name in greeting while others grumbled that he was cutting the line. He slapped the bouncer on the shoulder and introduced Felix to Bella before they stepped through the door. It amused Emmett, watching Bella’s face as she took it all in. The girls were up on the stage, doing one of their most popular upbeat numbers. Her eyes were large in her small face but she looked intrigued and excited.

 

“This is cool, Emm,” she muttered and leaned up on her tiptoes so he could hear her as they moved through the tables. Stopping by the bar Emmett slapped his hand on the surface and shouted over the music. It clicked in Bella’s head that James was on shift and she turned to look for him.

 

James spun around to face them; he was wearing a fitted black t-shirt and a fedora hat. She’d never seen him dressed for work because of her coming and going. It surprised her when she noticed he had thick black liner outlining his bright blue eyes. Leaning across the bar James smiled at them while cocking his head to the side. “Hello there, Bella. What can I get you?”

 

Noticing the way his muscles flexed under the shirt, the tendons standing out on his forearms and neck, Bella’s heart began to pick up speed. Her mouth went dry, her throat aching when she tried to force words out of it. Finally she squeaked out her order and James playfully made her show him her ID before serving her.

 

Emmett helped Bella to climb onto a tall bar stool and she watched James as he worked. His movements were efficient and fluid - beautiful. It was nice seeing him in a different element, where he was confident and sure of himself and even a little bit cocky. He flirted with the women that came to the bar, even the waitresses that gave him drink orders for patrons at tables. One in particular caught Bella’s attention and her back stiffened in jealousy. The beautiful girl leaned over so that James would have a clear view of her breasts and he grinned at her like an idiot. Bella spun her stool around so that she was facing the stage, both annoyed with him and herself for feeling jealous.

 

The rest of the night Bella’s focus stayed on the women in their gorgeous attire. They were all different shapes, sizes and heights. Bella had yet to meet Emmett’s Rose but as soon as she came on stage it was obvious who she was. Rose was beautiful, with long blond hair and intense eyes. Her body was round and curvy in all the right places. She also boasted a nice height that Bella wished she could claim. Emmett jumped up to cheer “Rosie”, making several people around them chuckle.

 

When James made last call, Bella frowned because the show was coming to an end. The girls looked like they were having an amazing time and they were all extremely talented. After the curtains dropped and the place started to clear out Bella turned back to the bar. James raised an eyebrow but didn’t speak. His eyes drifted to the drink that she’d ordered but had not touched. Bella felt guilty that she’d acted so juvenile; it wasn’t like James was her boyfriend. He could flirt with whomever he wished. She sipped the beverage shyly, her eyes lowered to the bar top.

 

Emmett caught Bella’s attention and she turned to see his arm wrapped around Rose’s waist. “Bells, this is my Rosie. Rosalie, my baby sister, Bella.”

 

His introduction made Bella roll her eyes but she smiled and held her hand out to Rose. They exchanged pleasantries then teased Emmett before he harrumphed and went to help James close up.

 

“That was really amazing. You have such a fantastic place here. Full of so much talent.” Bella felt her cheeks flush at how much she was gushing at Rose’s feet but it was all true. They continued to talk while the boys worked. Before she knew it, Rose was inviting Bella to perform.

 

She tried to convince Rose that she didn’t have talent but Rose insisted that she could practice with the girls. “It’ll be fun! Even if you just do a number once. Come on, Bella. We can use the time to bond and talk about boys.”

 

The smirk that drifted across Rose’s lips had Bella laughing, especially when Emmett shouted out in protest. “Hey, I don’t think I like this idea. You two should be kept away from one another. I can’t say I care for y’all budding up and especially talking about boys. Bella shouldn’t be on stage, having men ogle her.”

 

Bella snorted a laugh and grinned at Emmett when Rose tore into him about women's liberation and that she wasn’t running a strip club. “Seriously, Emm, I’ll be fully clothed. Besides, I thought you would like me to get to know your girlfriend.”

 

The word ‘girlfriend’ made Emmett’s face flush red and he stuttered around until James pulled him away, telling him to shut up. The two girls wandered off so Bella could be introduced to the other performers. Emmett bitched to James the entire time they were gone.

 

-0-

 

James held the door open for Bella after another long night at the club. She’d gone with him to watch the show and ‘study’ the moves while he worked the bar. They’d been spending even more time together the last couple of weeks since she’d been practicing her number. He hadn’t been able to really see her full performance, just bits and pieces while he stocked the bar or prepared to open each night.

 

Tonight she looked exhausted and James would honestly be glad to see her get everything over with the next night.

 

“You should get some rest, Bella.” His voice was firm as he locked the door behind them. James was surprised when he turned around and she was still standing there. Bella looked confused and completely exhausted. “Come on, I’ll carry you to bed.” He didn’t wait for a response before he picked her up and began to carry her to the bedroom. When he looked down at her she was staring up at him, her eyelids half closed, looking sexy.

 

The look on her face reminded him of the day before. Bella had gone for a run and he had jumped in the shower to get ready for work. He was standing with his hands braced on the wall below the shower head, his face tilted down while the water ran over him. It had been a rough few weeks, watching Bella on stage, getting to know her better as they became even closer. She’d had guys hitting on her at Bourbon Thorn and it had his hackles raised, like she belonged to him or something. Plus, he was horny as hell - a bad combination. He’d had a few girls approach him but he turned them down; unable to get Bella out of his head.

 

His mind so distracted by thoughts of Bella; he didn’t hear the bathroom door close or the person shuffling around next to him. Bella had come home from her run, sweaty and hot from the humid air she’d run in. Without taking her earbuds out she walked straight through the bedroom, shedding clothes as she went.

 

When the shower curtain flicked back, exposing him James jumped in shock. He turned to face the intruder, not expecting it to be Bella. There was no way he could pull his eyes off of her even though he knew he should. They drifted up her torso, and he groaned when his stare landed on her breasts. Jerking up to meet her eyes he realized she was allowing her eyes to travel down his body. His cock went hard.

 

Bella squeaked out a “sorry” before running from the bathroom. James let his head fall against the wall, took deep breaths for what felt like an hour then finally shut off the water. After exiting the bathroom, fully clothed, James made an effort to apologize to Bella but she waved him off. She made a joke out of it, telling him that it was her fault and not to worry- that she’d know better than to keep her music playing when walking into the bathroom from now on. There was tension between them the rest of the day and that night but it wasn’t unbearable. To James, it had been unbelievably sexy.

 

Pulling himself back to the present, James enjoyed the feel of her in his arms. Neither of them spoke as he placed her on the bed; James wasn’t expecting her to keep her grip around his neck. Bella tugged gently, pulling him forward so that he almost fell on top of her. He braced himself on his hands just before his chest touched hers. Then her lips were capturing his. It was a firm kiss and one that left zero doubt what she was after.

 

No way could James lie to himself that he didn’t find her attractive. He’d been battling the need to touch her for weeks. Every time she walked through the apartment his eyes would travel all along her body; the curve of her hips, the dip in her lower back, her flat stomach. _God._ Her breasts. He remembered perfectly how they looked yesterday. His tongue flicked out to taste her lips but he hesitated. The problem was that she was the little sister of his best friend. Emmett would kill him if he even saw James breathe on Bella; much less put his hands on her.

 

With that thought he was pulling away from her, groaning when Bella’s whimper of disapproval made his dick jump into action. “You need rest, Bella,” he told her again and sat up.

 

“I want you to stay with me.” Her words, that admission, were almost all he could handle. Shoving himself away from the bed James ran a hand through his hair, tugging the short, dirty blond strands in agitation. He cleared his throat then slowly backed out of the room, closing the french doors as he went.

 

James had been tired and ready for bed after his shift; now he was roaring for some sort of action. He settled for it in the form of a bottle and didn’t bother with a glass. By the time most of the Vodka was gone he’d pulled off his shirt and jeans, wearing boxer-briefs only. His body had begun to relax with the alcohol that flowed through his veins. Limbs were akimbo while he lounged on the couch; his eyes glazed over and focused on the muted TV.

 

He nearly jumped like he’d been shot when the bedroom door opened an hour later. Bella stood in the doorway, the light from the TV dancing across her skin. She looked unsure, her fingers twisting the edge of the t-shirt she wore to sleep in. Before he realized what he was doing James stood and went to her. She was looking down at the floor and he reached out to lift her face, placing both hands on each side.

 

“Bella, this shouldn’t happen.” It was obvious, even to him, that his protests were now half-hearted.

 

“I think you’re wrong.”

 

She began to back up and James followed her, closing the door behind them.

 

-0-

 

A warm body stretching and curling against James woke him up the next morning. It was Bella, draped over his chest, her face nestled against his neck and her legs... oh shit. Her legs were twisted with his, one of them resting between his thighs, against his cock. She wasn’t naked but she might as well have been. The t-shirt she’d had on the night before had risen up her thighs, leaving her milky skin exposed.

 

When she came to him he didn’t hesitate to follow her into the bedroom. He kissed her as they lowered their bodies to the bed but he wouldn’t allow things to go further than that. Even with Bella’s protests, James stopped her progress. He wanted to talk to Emmett first, if possible. This wasn’t sex to him. This was Bella, who he’d grown to care for. He wanted more.

 

-0-

 

Waking up curled into James’ side brought a smile to Bella’s face. She didn’t want to move, for fear he would realize she had woken up. They didn’t say anything, just stayed there, curled up around one another, enjoying the silence of the early morning.

 

Bella was shocked when she felt James’ arms tighten around her just as the bedroom door burst open; in its frame stood Emmett. He was beyond pissed. Bella sat up in bed, her hair in disarray and a look of shock on her face as she stared at her brother. It was obvious that she looked a little ravaged even though she hadn’t been.

 

Stuttering out his name James pulled Emmett’s gaze away from Bella. “My fucking SISTER, dude?” Emmett all but launched his big body across the room, grabbing for James, who jumped out of the bed.

 

Bella froze in surprise before finally going after them, pouncing on Emmett’s back and screaming his name to get his attention. He was so focused on hitting James that he didn’t realize his sister was attached to him like a leech. She bit his shoulder. “DAMNIT!” He whirled around; trying to pull her off of him after he released James.

 

Once her feet were back on the ground Bella glared up at Emmett. They were all three breathing heavily and no one spoke at first.

 

“It’s not what it looks like, Emmett. And even if it were; it’s my business, not yours. You act like I’ve never had sex before!”

 

Emmett’s hands went up to his ears, his eyes huge as saucers in his face. “It’s MY bed!”

 

“Then it should be used to fucking, shouldn’t it?” Bella spouted out before she knew the words were coming out of her mouth.

 

Emmett’s eyes narrowed on her as James, who had pulled on a pair of jeans, came around to face the burly attacker.

 

“Emmett- buddy, calm down. I swear I would never do that without talking to you first. I care about Bella and you’re my best friend. She isn’t just a random chick to me.”

 

Bella, upon hearing James’ words looked at him sharply. It hadn’t occurred to her that he had put her off because he wanted more than just a fling.

 

“You’re telling me you did not have sex with my sister last night.... in MY bed?”

 

“Oh my God! Emmett, stop pointing out that it’s YOUR bed. WE KNOW. Nothing. Happened.” The last part of Bella’s sentence came out sounding like she was a little disgruntled and James chuckled.

 

Emmett frowned at Bella as James pulled him off to the living room for the two of them to talk. Bella fell back on the bed with a smile on her face. James cared about her- had feelings for her, other than just the friendship variety. A surge of happiness zinged through her body and she pulled a pillow to her face to muffle the sound of her giddy squeal.

 

-0-

 

The closer it got to time for Bella’s big performance the more nervous she became. James held her shaking hand in his the entire drive to the bar, which wasn’t far. She stayed stuck to his side as long as she could and he would randomly kiss her while wearing a big smile on his face. It felt like no time before it was time for her to disappear backstage. Once her make-up was complete and her wig in place she stared at her stage outfit with uncertainty. It wasn’t like she’d never seen it before, but now that it was time to wear the skimpy thing she was unsure.

 

Bella stood behind the curtain with the other girls, her heart pounding. Before leaving the bar area James had told Bella if she was overwhelmed or full of stage freight to look for him. As the curtain began to rise she stared in the spot she knew would be the location of the man she had come to see as a best friend. Pose struck and a smile on her face, Bella was sure her knees were knocking together when the spotlight hit her body. The bright light was a shock at first but she managed to see through it.

 

There he was, chin resting on the bar, staring at her with a smirk on his face. Then she danced. And sang. And it was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. The rush of adrenaline from the crowd as she sang about being a ‘good girl’ was thrilling. The cheers as pieces of her costume were strategically removed. A shake of her hips, a shimmy of her breasts and her eyes always on James, even as he worked.

 

When the song ended James and Emmett both carried on, screaming Bella’s name and cheering like two idiots. The rest of the performers disappeared to prepare for their next song while Bella made her way over to the bar. She sat on a stool and waited for James to free himself up and wander over in her direction. Head cocked to the side he grinned at her and leaned on the bar top. They talked about her hair and how she looked with the short blond wig on. James wrinkled his nose and told her he loved her long, dark hair. Leaning forward he explained how he wanted to run his fingers through it, to tug it while he made love to her. Bella’s face flushed with excitement as he pulled back to kiss her lips before returning to work.

 

It was weird, being able to ogle him and to kiss him without worrying about wondering if he had the same feelings for her. Now that she knew he cared for her too, she wanted to kiss him in front of everyone.

 

The rest of the night went by in a blur. Bella sat at the bar, singing from her bar stool to the songs she’d come to know by heart while James and Emmett worked the bar. Every now and again James would wander over and plant a kiss on her lips when her brother was too busy staring at Rose.

 

Bella’s own gaze was on the girls as they did their final number for the night when she felt fingers drift along her collarbone. She gasped and turned quickly to see James, a smile on his lips and his eyes full of lust.

 

“Did I tell you how delicious you look in that? Think Rose would let you borrow it for a while?” His voice dropped an octave as he spoke in Bella’s ear. A shiver ran up her spine when the implication of his words sank in.

 

“I do own a corset. Not as sparkly as this but it’s still nice,” she teased him as she leaned to hover her lips against his.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Mhmm. Maybe sometime I can wear it for you?” Now she was just being cruel, teasing him when she knew he couldn’t leave work until after the bar area had been cleaned.

 

James grinned down at her. This was the first time since the friendship barrier had been breached that Bella had given him an invitation like that. He liked it. He wanted even more of her teasing him.

 

Clean up happened more quickly than usual and as the group left Bourbon Thorn, Emmett gave James the evil eye and helped Rose into her car. They’d driven over together since he’d been staying at her place for the past few weeks. Bella had almost thought Emmett might come home since he’d found her in bed with James. She had breathed a sigh of relief when that didn’t happen but she had a feeling Rose had a huge hand in making sure her big brother was distracted.

 

James’ hand clutched hers as they watched her brother and his boss drive away. “Home?” he asked and she nodded.

 

Bella remained antsy the entire car ride to the apartment but James kept her hand in his, never once letting go. He tried to keep up a steady stream of conversation; asking if she’d like to watch a movie or just read while he studied. She shot down both those ideas immediately but James didn’t want to assume anything.

 

“What would you like to do?” he asked and a slow, shy smile spread across her face before she spoke.

 

-0-

 

The two of them barely made it through the apartment door before Bella’s lips were crushing his. James moaned into her mouth while his hands tugged at the t-shirt she’d changed into before leaving the club. Mimicking his movements, she pushed James’ shirt up so that he would take it off.

 

Sounds of her whimpering his name broke through his concentration. James managed to close and lock the door behind them before turning to pull her into his arms again. Pieces of clothing rained down onto the floor as he guided them to the bedroom.

 

Using his foot to push the bedroom door shut “just in case” Emmett came back, James lifted Bella by her thighs. Her legs wrapped around him automatically; pulling him tight against her body.

 

As he moved them over to the bed, Emmett’s words from this morning flashed in his head. He didn’t want to ruin the moment, but he paused to consider his options: Emmett’s bed or the sofa? Emmett would be pissed either way.

 

When Bella noticed James pausing, she giggled, guessing at what his concern might be. “I changed the sheets this morning. He can claim it’s his bed all he wants, but those are my sheets on that bed.”

 

James’ laugh came from deep in his chest, “Works for me!”

 

His mouth found hers again as his hands kneaded the soft flesh of her thighs, inching closer to her center. Bella’s fingers were tugging on his hair so hard that he was sure he’d be missing a few strands in the morning, but he couldn’t begin to care. Leaning forward, he gently placed her in the middle of the bed. He pulled back to remove the remainder of his clothes, but paused when he took in the sight of her.

 

Bella took in a few deep gulps of air when James placed her on the bed. Opening her eyes she found him staring down at her. The look in his eyes made her entire body flush a deep pink. The throbbing between her legs intensified. She rubbed her thighs together briefly just to get a little friction as she waited on James to return.

 

Watching his tongue move across his bottom lip Bella anticipated his mouth on her lips, her neck, her breasts. He was beautiful, staring down at her, making her body ache for his touch. She reached up to clasp his face in her hands and pull him down for a kiss. Having other ideas, he pushed away and slowly pulled off her shoes, dropping them on the floor. She flexed her feet in the freedom and James took them in his hands, massaging gently before continuing his journey.

 

“How is it possible that even your feet are pretty?” he asked rhetorically and shook his head. Before she knew it his hands were on the button of her jeans, flipping it open then sliding the zipper down. He discarded the jeans quickly, pulling them down over her hips as she lifted off of the bed. Helping him shimmy the fabric down her thighs, Bella pushed and tugged until finally James freed her legs. Crawling slowly up the bed he ran his hands along her skin, touching gently, lighting her on fire with every stroke of his fingers. Goosebumps popped up on her arms and legs. He smiled at her reaction as his hands drifted along her skin. Moving to the top of her thigh he kept going until he reached the edge of her panties. Fingers dipped gently beneath the fabric and she shifted beneath him, lifting her hips, asking for more.

 

Hooking his thumbs on each of her hips James tugged at her panties so gently that it was almost excruciating for Bella. She whimpered out words of encouragement, but he only told her to be patient, they had all night. Between the two of them it was obvious that James was the one with the self control.

 

Finally when he’d finished removing her clothes and then the rest of his own, he held her against his body. Two pairs of hands moved over heated skin, slicking away sweat. Pants and moans filled the room while James’ lips tugged on a hardened nipple.

 

Whimpering his name Bella tugged at his hair, forcing James to lift his head to look at her. She whispered words of need and want, begging him to take her. When he couldn’t take anymore of her pleading James held his body aloft, rolled on a condom while battling Bella’s searching hands then allowed his body to be cradled between her thighs.

 

He took her face between his hands, kissing her lips almost forcefully before staring into her eyes. Bella’s hand wrapped around his erection and placed him at her entrance then he eased into her. Having him fill her was unlike anything she’d ever known. It was full of passion and strength; she ached all over, her body pleading for the feel of his hands caressing her.

 

James watched Bella’s body closely. The way it arched; the broken moans and whimpers, the way her toes curled into the mattress on each side of his thighs. Slowing the rhythm of his hips, James laughed into Bella’s neck. Her hips lifted, grinding against him to try to make up for the loss of pressure against her clit.

 

His hands moved over her body with a kind of reverence. She was soft, warm and delicate. James felt honored that she would let him touch her in this way. Bella sighed as James, his body trembling, picked up the pace again. Her body pulsed around him, tightening with every thrust, quivering with the need to cum.

 

Lips brushed her earlobe and rough words were spoken for her alone. “Cum on me, Bella. I want to feel you cum on my cock. It’s all I’ve been able to think about for weeks.”

 

A moan rippled through her chest and she pressed against him, her nipples brushing the sprinkling of hair covering his skin. One of her feet moved from the bed and ran up the back of James’ calf, making its way up to wrap around his waist.

 

His words moved through her like a speeding train. She’d never had someone make her feel this way or whispered these things in her ear. It had never occurred to Bella that it would turn her on so very much. “Oh God, James.” His hand gripped her other leg and wrapped it so she could pull him closer. Her need for him was so great now she forgot all of her earlier concerns and allowed her body to take over her brain.

 

When she came around him it pushed James to practically purr in her ear. “So fucking good. Beautiful, sweet Bella.” His dick throbbed in her, his balls tightening until he came harder than he ever remembered in his life.

 

Later, after they’d both been able to catch their breath, Bella ran her fingers along the outline of the tattoo that had been hidden beneath James’ shirt. He moaned out a deep “mmm” as he fell to sleep with a smile on his face. Bella threaded the fingers of her free hand through his hair, closed her eyes and let herself drift.

 

-0-

 

 **A/N:** Hope you enjoyed!!


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